Electric-arc-welding apparatus and method of operating the same



@sa 2, A924. ,K hmm@ H., 93. MORTON ELECTRIC ARC WELDING APFARATUS AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME Filed Feb. 5. 1924 -4 SheeS-She7 l TTORNEYS Oct. 21, i924.

H. D. MORTON ELECTRIC ARC WELDING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF .OPERATING THE SAME 4 sheets-sheet' 2 Filed Feb. 5, 1924 INVENTOR i ATTORNEYS Oct. 21, 1924 l H. D. MoRToN ELECTRIC ARC WELDING APRRATUS AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME Filed Feb. 5, 1924 4 sheets-Sheet s Oct. 21, 1924. 1 1,512,788

H. D. MORTON ELECTRIC ARC WELDING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF OPERATING THB SAME Filed Feb. 5, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet L INVENTOR {@f W Patented l Oct. 21, 1924.A

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY n. Moncton, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

Application filed February 5, Y1924. 'Serial No. 630,703.

To aZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HARRY D. MonToN, a citizen of the United States, residinor in the `city ot' New York, county of New ork, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Arc-W'elding Apparatus and Methods' of Operating the Same, of which the following is a specification.

l@ The following is a description of an eleotric arc welding apparatus and fthe method of operating the same embodying my invention in theform and mannerA at present preferred by me; but it will be understood that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of my invent-ion and without exceeding the scope of my claims.

`My invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which I have illustrated the preferred forms of device for carrying out my invention, and j in which Fig. 1 shows in perspective partially in section one form of the device;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation and Fig. 3 a front elevation showing one modification of my invention Fig. 4 is a side elevation and Fig. 5 a front elevation showing another modification of my invention; Fig. 6 is a.

wiring diagram showing one welding sysl tem which may be employed in conjunction with my invention. Like reference characters indicate like parts throughoutthe drawings. Referring to the drawmgs, Fig. 1 shows one form of my invention wherein the two metal sheets 6 and 6 lare supported upon a table 8, being held in position by conductors 7 and 7a, towhich conductors pressure is 4Q applied by clamps 25, 25a and 25D. A Welding current is conveyed from one pole of a source of electrical energy by cable 12 to cables 13 and 13a, to conductors ,7 and 7a respectively. Current is conveyed from the arc to welding pencil 5, electrode guide 4-4a, to lug 2 attached' to the lower portion of the welding head l, andby cable 3 to the other pole of the-source 'of electrical energy'. Associated with this weldinghead is a motor or other driving'means for feeding the welding pencil 5 toward the work as it is consumed by the arc A, adapted to be struck between the work 6--6a and the lower end of the welding pencil 5, to which current is conveyed by the contact members 4 and 4a. Simultaneously with the downward feeding of the welding pencil 5, the work 6`6a is moved under the arc. This traversing 'movement may be eiected by' power applied to the shaft 11 of the pinion 60 10, meshing with the rack 9 at the bottom of the tableJ 8. In this manner the abuttin edges of the metal sheets 6 and 6a are fu and a continuous weld is eii'ected. .If the electrode 5 is a metallic welding strip, the 65 molten metal of said strip is deposited upon the work, where it coalesces with the molten -metal of the work material to form a continuous weld. It is to be understood that alternatively the work may be stationary, and Ithat the welding pencil feeding means may be movable with reference to the work, in a manner well known to those'skilled in the art.' Rotatably mounted in the conductors 7 and 7 respectively are the round 75 shafts 23 and 23, provided with a plurality 'of projecting cutting edges or scariying points, 24 and 24a. spaced substantially equidistant from each other. Rotation of the shafts 23 and 23a brings these cutting edges 80 or scarifying points into Contact with the ymetal sheets 6 and 6a, respectively,` thereby removing the surface scale from said sheets at. a plurality-of points, and rmitting welding current to be conveyed t rough the 86 conductors '-Fl and through these cuttin edges or scarifying points to the bare meta thus exposed. The action of these cutting edges or scariying points is not only to remove or perforate the surface scale, but 90 also to slightly imbed themselves 'in the work material. It will be understood that the shafts 23 and 23L may be arranged to move lengthwise instead of rotatably in the conductors 7 and 7*, and the cutting edges 95 will, in like manner, rforate or remove the surface scale and imbed themselves in the bare metal thereby exposed.

In Figs. 2 and 3 I show another form of my invention wherein an abrasive wheel 16.

45 y closed in my pendingA application Serial No.

mounted on the shaft 17, supported in bearing 18, and power-driven by means (not shown) applied ito said shaft 17, removes'the scale from themetal sheets 6 and 6a for some distance on both sides of the seam. Thesemetal sheets are held linposition on the table 8 by suitable clamping means, not shown. In this case, current is conveyed from one pole of the source of electrical energy through cable 13 to the brush 14, insulated at 15 `frein the electrode guide 4--4a. The brush14 is bifurcated as shown in F 1g. 3,-

and its lower ends contact with the portions ofthe metal sheets 6 and 6which have been bared by the action of the abrasive' wheel 16, whereby current from one pole I of a source of electrical energy is simultaneously conveyed to both such metal sheets. Current isA conveyed from the arc to the welding pencil 5, electrode guide L1f4a Ato lug 2, and by cable 3 to the other pole' of the source of electrical energy.

In Figs.' 4 and 5 I' show anotherform of my invention wherein the edged wheels 21 and 213,. mounted on shaft 22, carried by yoke`20, attached to welding head 1 and insulated therefrom at. 15, break through the" scale on the metal sheets 6 and 6a, and also convey current to Said sheets through the.'

said yoke 20 and cable 13 leading to onepole4 of a source of electrical energy. The metal sheets-6 and 6a are held in position-on the table 8 by suitable clamping means, not

shown. I'may alternatively employ for perforatingwtmhe scale and conveying 'current to the sheets-ifnd 6, in place Vof edged wheels 213 and 21a, Wheels havin 601,475 Patent No. 1,483,612, February 12., 1924, and in mypendingapplicatmn Serial No. 686,537, wherein the .welding strip is continuously fed at a constant rate, and theare is maintained by correctively varying the` wattage consumption at the arc. In the v'system described in my aforesaid applications, a synchronous motor drives the welding strip feedingmeans.

v -Referring to Fig. 6, thefalternating current motor 26, which may be of the synchronous type and whichdrives the welding generator 29, receivescurrent for its armature from the source 27-28, throughV lines 49,

50, 51 and 52. Itsfield 35 is energized by vdirect current from the source 30-31.` The alternating current. 'synchronous welding head motor 32 also receives current for its armature from. the source 27-28', overthe Ilines 33 and 34. Its field 36 is energized by 7,' and through said conductor to the metal sheet 6; and the otherv portion being conveyed by line 13a to the conductor 7a, and

through said conductor to the metal sheetV 6a.- From the metal sheets 6 and 6a the welding current flows through the arc A. to the welding pencil 5 (fed by the rolls 474-48.), through contact member4, the line 43reactance 44. adjustable stabilizing re- -resistance 45 `(preferably of vthe zero ternl.perature coefficient of. resistance`l type), line 46 to the negative pole of thev welding generator 29. l i

11n automatic electric arc welding systems particular] y where the metallic arc is em ployed, it 1s essential for theproduction of successful welds that thearc length be mainf tainedV substantially constant. One method of .accomplishing this result is by feeding vthe welding pencil at such a rate as to produce the desired arc length when normal conditions of fusibility, conductivity, etc. obtain;v and automatically correctively varying the .rate of feeding upon the occurrence of'an abnormality in'said conditions, When the arc shortens, the current increases and the voltage decreases; and when the arc lengthens, the current decreases, andthe voltageincreases. These variations in electrical characteristics 'may be employed 4to actuate devicesY whichcorrectively alter the rate of4 welding pencilfeed to preventv further changes in arc length and to restore the arc to its normal length. Such-systems of Iare control are disclosed in my United States Letters Patent No. 1,278,982 and No.

1,278,985, dated September 17, 1918; also in applications Serial No. 186,238'

my' pendin@r and Serialtlo. 264,927. Another method of maintaining the 'arc length substantially constant isby feeding the welding pencil at a constant rate, rather than at variable rates, and interrupting tendencies toward changes in arc length by automatically varying the wattage, or power consumption, or fusing energy at the arc. In this method of control, which isl described in my aforesaid pending applications Serial No. 691,475 and.

Serial. 'Na 686,537, a tendency toward a shortening of the arc -automatically produces an increasein the available wattage or fusing energy at the arc, whereby the welding pencil temporarily fuses faster than it is fed, thus interrupting the tendency toward shortening and preventing a departure from normall arc length. A modification of this method of control is-disclosed in myUnited States'ltters vPatent No. 1,392,436, dated @caber 4,1921. f'

Regardless of which 'ofthe two methods of control may be employed, the normal feeding rate which produces the desired arc length while conditionsare normal must be correlated to the normal fusin rate. This requires thatA the resistance o the circuit external to the arc be maintained substantially constant. If the external resistance varies, the supply of wattage or fusing energy normally available at the arc ceases to be constant, and the normal feeding rate (which is predicated upon Iconstancy of fusing energy normally available at the are) is no longer, correlated to the then available fusing energy at the arc, and therefore is not the correct feeding rate for the new electrical conditions. The result is-that the are is no Ylonger of the desired length, and` may become so short that the welding pencil cony tacts with'the work, producing extinction of the arc;'or. it may become so long asto lead to oxidation and nitrogeni'zation of the weld, or even to rupture of the arc. l

In my United Staltes Letters Patent No. 1,392,437, dated October 4, 1921, I have fully explained the effect upon arc stability and arc maintenance of insuring substantial constancy of the resistance of fthe weldi circuit external to the arc, and have disc osed means for maintaining substantially constant the stabilizing grid resistance portionL of said external circuit. In my pending application Serial No. 264,928 and in my aforesaid pending application Serial No. 601,475, I have disclosed means for' compensating for changes in resistance in certain portions-of the lwelding circuit external ,to the arc. In my pending application Serial No. 432,951 I have disclosed means for maintaining substantially constant that portion of the resistance of the circuit ex ternal to thearc represented by the end of the welding pencil between the electrical contact-member which conveys current to said pencil and the arc.

welding there are other portions of the external welding circuit the resistance of which is either subject to considerablevaria'- tions or is highly uncertain, or both. A. large number of products which might with advantage be automatically welded with the electric arc are made of what is known as l annealed drawing steels" Hot rolled drawing steel has a surface' scale which is of very high electrical resistance, and, from my experience, I have found that this scale is always extremely variable in' itsvelectrical re' sistance. In fact, I^have. found by actual tests that this resistance .varies as mpch ,-as 5,00() per cent. indifferent portions of: a strip 15x2.. I have noted that it is very diiiicult, if not practically impossible, to maintain a stable metallic arc, when high a-mperage is employed, if it is soughtto convey current to the surface of work i material having these high and extremely variable coefficients of resistance. This is due to inability to maintain substantially constant the resistance between the current conveying means and the work; and the difficulty is accentuated by the fact that the potential 'impressed upon a metallic arc welding circuit is in some instances as low as 20 volts.` I h`ave discovered, however, that if this scale, with its high and-variable resistance, be punctured or removed ata plurality of points or in a continuous line along fthe work matenial, and the welding current be conveyed to the lbaremetal thusA exposed, the variations in the resistance of the circuit external to the arc due to this cause, are overcome. This desirable resultmay be obtained by removing the scale at a number of points along the work material before starting the arc by a scarifying device similar to that shown in Fig. 1; or by removin such scale during the progress of the wel ing operation by such devices as I have shown in Figs. 2 and 3 land 4 and 5,

respectively. For reasons which will kherelnafter appear, it is advisable that the scale be removed from the metal sheets respectively atv substantially equal distances from the seam to be welded, and that the divided current be similarly, conveyed to said metal sheets. In .this manner the resistance be` sheets, a relatively high amperage. I haveY successfully employed 150 amperes in .the welding of steel sheets T16. in thickness, the work, under these conditions, being backed by a 'chill for dissipating the surplus heat.

Y I have found that the cross-sectional area I have found that in certain classes ot- 4shortens. as thedis'tanice between it and the point of application of the welding current increases, and that this shortening vfrequentlyontinues until 'the welding pencil actually contacts with the work and the' arc. isthus extinguished before the weld is completed. When, however, the current' is quality of welds y portion of the welding circuit is substan-4 conveyed to the metal sheets by devices en-4 be welded, because the consequent reduction conveyed Ato the workat a considerable number of points, the variations in-resistance between the arc and the Irespective points of application to fthe work 'of the welding current -are so reduc-cdas toproduce no noticeable effect upon the arc length.

In Figs. 2 and. 3 and 4 and 5 respectivelyf ing current is therefore always substantially7` constant, and hence the resistance of .this

tially uniform. Whether the current is tering at a plurality of' fixed points, as shown in Fig. 1, or along continuous scarified sur- .faces as shownv in Figs. 2 and 3 and 4 and 5, respectively, I prefer to apply it to the metal sheets as closely as possible to the seam to of distance between the arc and the point or points of application of the welding current `minimizes the heating e'ec't due to the internal ,resistance of the work materials;

I have found that when automatically welding thin sheets of metal with the metallic arc, it becomesvery diflicult'to keep the arc in alignment-with the seam, if the currentis conveyed to but one of the metal sheets, or to both such sheets merely by contact between the conductor and thepsurface of one of thesheets-particularly if there is a scale on such surface. The are, under these conditions, plays upon the sheet in contact with the conductor, or the one having the better contact with the conductor, rather than upon the seam between the two sheets,

^ withthe result that the edge of the -sheet not 'incontact with the conductor, or havingv the poorer contact with Athe conductor, is not sufficiently fused'to effect a weld; and the v molten metal from the welding pencil is deposited `upon the sheet which is favored by the aref. I ascribe this action to 4unequal distribution to the sheets of the welding current, and to the fact that the current favors the path of least resistance. When, however, the current is conveyed to the bare metal of both -sheets ata substantially' constant distance 'from thearc, the difficulty is overcome.

and it is onlyl necessary, in order to maintain the are in alignment, toinitially properly position the welding vpencil feedingmeans,

-and then either move the work past the arc, or 'traverse the 'are over the work, inl the line of the seam.l

437, or by l Ilwish to 4be understoodthat with my` p resent invention I may .initially strike the arc between the welding pencil and the work by means of a device similar to that disclosed in my pending application lSerial No. 686,#

skilled in the art.

My invention overcomes the- Vdiiiiculties heretofore encountered -in automatically maintaining, stabilizing and keeping in alignment with the seam to be welded an are other means well known tothose employing a high-.amperage and used for the-fwelding of thin metal sheets-particularly those having surfaces of high and variable resistance.

' lVhatI claim as new. and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: 1. In electric arc weldingwherein the lwork constitutes one electrode anda welding pencil constitutes the otherelectrode, the'improvement which consists in removingscale from the work and distributing current to the bare work on both sides welded. Y

2. In electric arc welding .wherein a weld' ing pencil constitutes one electrode and the work constitutes the other electrode, the improvement which consists' in removingvr 'scale rom the work and 'conveying current to the bare work and at a plurality ofseparated spots.

of the seam to be 3. electric are welding wherein an arcv is struck between the work constituting one electrode anda welding pencil constituting the other electrode, the improvement in that method of maintaining the arc which consists inremoving surface scale from the work during the welding operation and conveying current to the work'at said exposed portion.

4. Thejmethod of electric arc welding whichv consists in striking an arev between thework constituting one electrode and a welding pencil constituting the other electrode,'feeding'the welding pencil towardthe work, removing scale from the 'work and stabilizing the resistance of the circuit ex! ternal to the arc by conveying current tothe bare work at a substantially constant dis-- tance from the arc throughout the welding operation.v

5. 'Intelect'ric .arc welding wherein the work constitutes one electrode and a ,welding pencil constitutes the other electrode, the improvement in that method of stabilizingan arc struck between said.. electrodes whic and distributing current to the thereb exposed portions of the work on both'si es of the seam to begwelded'.

6. In electric arc welding, means for re- Jr'noving scale from the work to be welded,

' .onsists in removing scale from the work and means for conveying current to the scale free work. f

7. :In electric arc welding,'means for removing scale from the work during'the current to the scarifed surface ofthe Work 'at a constant distance from thearc. 10 10. In electric arcwclding, means for scarl fying the work and means for convyin current to the scaried surface of the wor "on' both sides of the seam to be Welded.

HARRY D. MORTON. 

